36 the real one

Cornēlia Flāviae S.D.

Cornelia gives greetings to Flavia.

Hodiē Nōnīs Novembribus illam epistulam accēpī

Today on November 5 I received that letter

quam tū scrīpsistī Kalendīs Novembribus

which you wrote on November 1.

Eam iterum iterumque lēgī

I have read that letter again and again

quod tē maximē dēsīderō

because I long for you greatly/very much.

Quam celeriter tua epistula hūc advēnit!

How swiftly your letter came here!

Quīnque modo diēbus!

In only 5 days!

Herī aliam epistulam Brundisiī scrīptam accēpit pater meus

Yesterday my father received a letter written at Brundisium.

Haec epistula ā Valeriō prīdiē Īdūs Octōbrēs scrīpta

This letter, written by Valerius on the Ides of October [October 14]

Rōmam post vīgintī diēs advēnit

arrived at Rome after 20 days!

Valerius, ut scīs, est adulēscēns pulcher et strēnuus

Valerius, as you know, is a handsome and energetic young man

quī cum patre suō diū in Bīthȳniā morātus est

who has stayed with his own father in Bithynia for a long time.

Nunc in Italiam Brundisium regressus est

Now he has returned into Italy to Brundisium.

Brundisiō Īdibus Novembribus proficīscētur

He will set out from Brundisium on November 13

et Rōmam a.d. iii Kal. Dec. adveniet

and will arrive in Rome on November 29.

Quam libenter eum rūrsus vidēbō!

How gladly I will see him again!

Sānē tamen multō libentius tē vidēbō

Certainly/of course however, I will see you much more gladly

ubi tū Rōmam veniēs

when you shall come to Rome!

Tum tē libentissimē nōs omnēs accipiēmus!

Then we will receive you all very gladly!

In epistulā tuā multa rogābās dē perīculīs urbānīs

In your letter you were asking many things about the dangers of the city.

Abhinc trēs diēs in īnsulā quādam magnum incendium vīdimus

Three days ago we saw a huge fire in a certain apartment.

Nihil miserābilius umquam vīdī

I have seen nothing more miserable/wretched ever.

Quamquam enim maior pars incolārum ē perīculō effūgit

For although the greater part of the inhabitants escaped from danger

māter et duo līberī quōs in tertiō tabulātō cōnspeximus

a mother and two children whom we caught sight of on the third floor

effugere nōn poterant

could not escape.

Ēheu!

Oh dear!

Hī miserī flammīs oppressī sunt

These wretched people were overwhelmed by the flames!

Ubi dē illā mātre et līberīs cōgitō, valdē commoveor

When I think about that mother and her children I am very moved.

Herī vesperī Eucleidēs noster, ab urbe domum rediēns

Yesterday in the evening our Eucleides, coming back home from the city

duōs hominēs ē popīnā quādam exeuntēs vīdit

saw two men coming out of a certain inn.

Quī hominēs, ubi Eucleidem cōnspexērunt

These men, when they caught sight of Eucleides

statim eum secūtī sunt

immediately followed him.

Eucleidēs effugere cōnātus est

Eucleides tried to run away

sed frūstrā

but in vain.

Quō celerius currēbat ille

The faster he was running

eō celerius currēbant hominēs

the faster the men were running.

Facile eum cōnsecūtī sunt

They easily caught up with him.

Ō miserrimum Eucleidem!

O most wretched Eucleides!

Ā praedōnibus correptus ac fūstibus percussus

He was snatched by the robbers and struck with their clubs

gravissimē vulnerātus est

and was very seriously wounded.

Vix quidem sē domum trāxit

Indeed he scarcely/barely dragged himself home.

Sed dē perīculīs satis!

But enough about the dangers!

Hodiē māter pulcherrimam mihi pallam ēmit

Today mother bought a very beautiful palla for me

quae mihi valdē placuit

which pleases me very much/exceedingly.

Sed tristis sum quod lānam semper trahō

But I am sad because I am always spinning wool.

Tristissima autem sum quod tē nōn videō

Moreover I am very sad because I don’t see you.

Fortasse tū Rōmam cum patre veniēs

Perhaps you will come to Rome with your father.

Nōnne tū patrī hoc persuādēbis?

Surely you will convince your father of this?

Tē plūrimum dēsīderō

I very much long to see you.

Scrībe, sīs, quam saepissimē

Write, if you wish/please, as often as possible/you can.

Valē!

Farewell!